Protestor Dies in Lice

Police and army crackdown on the the statue of PKK co-founder Mahsum Korkmaz in Lice district left Mehdi Taşkın dead. 

HDP Diyarbakır Provincal Organization Co-chair Zübeyde Zümrüt told bianet that two people were also wounded in her proximity.  

“I helped Taşkın get in the car myself. Another person is severely wounded and going through surgery,” she said. 

“Intervention to Lice is intervention to peace process”

Following the court order for the removal of the statue, people expected a military action, Zümrüt said. 

“We went to Lice last night around 1 am and the smell of crackdown was already in the air,” she said. 

“When we went to Lice at night, families have flocked the cemetery where Mahsum Korkmaz statue was erected.

“We have contacted official in Diyarbakır Governor’s Office to warn about the consequences of a crackdown. Our group interim president briefly talked to Interior Minister.

“While the state meets PKK for negotiations, they couldn’t tolerate the statue of Korkmaz. Even though we tried to explain that any intervention would mean to intervene the peace process, we couldn’t have a positive outcome.

“We haven’t experienced this in state of emergency”

“The early attack was something that we haven’t even experience during the days of state of emergency in the 1990s.

“They fired real bullets at people from the air and land. They fired the graves of people who have experienced the trauma of war. 

“By 10:15 am [local time], the clashes have stopped. Entries to Lice have been closed and helicopters keep on roaming in the air.” (EKN/BM) 

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.